The prophecy and the hunt

'The Tiger King' is a satire by Kalki (R. Krishnamurthy). Its hero is the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, His Highness Jamedar-General, Khiledar-Major, Sata Vyaghra Samhari, and many other grand titles. The narrator tells us at once that he is dead: the story will explain how he died.

When he was born, the astrologers predicted that the child would one day have to die. Then the ten-day-old prince astonished them by speaking: 'O wise prophets! All those who are born will have to die one day. Tell me how I will die.' The chief astrologer said that his death would come from a tiger. The baby growled, 'Let tigers beware!'

The prince grew up, was educated by an English tutor, and became king at twenty. Then he remembered the prophecy and began to hunt tigers. When he killed his first one, he showed the dead tiger to the royal astrologer. The astrologer said: 'Your Majesty may kill ninety-nine tigers. But you should be very careful with the hundredth tiger.'

The Maharaja made a vow: he would kill a hundred tigers. He banned tiger hunting for everyone else in his state, with the threat that anyone who killed a tiger would lose all his property.

Once a high-ranking British officer wanted to hunt a tiger in the state and be photographed with it. The Maharaja refused. To save his throne, which was now in danger, he sent the officer's wife a gift: fifty diamond rings, expecting her to choose one or two. She kept them all and sent back her thanks. The rings cost three lakh rupees, but the Maharaja kept his kingdom.